Time is running out for local residents to have a say on plans to overhaul how local democracy works in Cheshire, writes Belinda Ryan.
A public consultation is to end on April 13.
It is designed to gauge the views of local people on a devolution plan for Cheshire and Warrington.
If approved, it would see the both areas become part of a new “mayoral combined authority”.
People in Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Warrington – roughly 990,000 residents – would retain their own councils, the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority (CA) would function similar to CAs found in Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region.
It would act as an additional tier for local government separate to each council with an elected mayor.
And it would also have additional powers handed to it from Westminster over things like transport, environment and climate change, health, wellbeing and public sector reform, public safety, skills and employment support, housing and strategic planning, economic development and planning.
The new CA would have an elected mayor, which residents would have to vote for in May next year.
The mayor would be the figurehead, representing it in talks with other regions and national Government, similar to Steve Rotheram (Liverpool Region) and Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester) currently do in their respective devolved regions.
The election for a Cheshire and Warrington mayor looks set to take place on May 7 next year if the devolution deal goes ahead as expected.
CEC councillors voted down an amendment from the Conservatives to delay the mayoral election until 2027 to coincide with council elections in Cheshire.
Cllr Chris O’Leary (Con) said: “The current proposed date of May 2026, would result in this council spending more than a million pounds on holding those elections in a year where we don’t have that in our budget, and where we are proposing to borrow money to fund day-to-day services.
“Holding the mayoral elections on the same day that we hold borough elections in both Cheshire East and Cheshire West would greatly reduce the cost to council taxpayers.
“And, really importantly, it’s likely to maximise voter turnout in those elections.”
Philip Cresswell, the council’s executive director for place, said May 2026 is the timescale the government has set.
Labour and the Independents argued the residents of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Warrington had too much to lose if devolution was delayed.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith (Wilmslow, Ind) said: “Potentially, we have the chance to renegotiate our business rates deal, which is the worst in the country by a mile, and that could potentially be £70 million.”
Cllr Fiona Wilson (Macclesfield, Lab) said the costs of the election were not yet known.
She added: “Our four key plans here are the economy, jobs, transport and rurality, something that’s very important to us in Cheshire, and we are wanting, basically, to delay the introduction of a scheme that’s going to bring significant additional benefits towards both financially and democracy wise.”
The consultation, which details what devolution is, runs until April 13 and is available on the government website at gov.uk/government/consultations/cheshire-and-warrington-devolution/cheshire-and-warrington-devolution-consultation
CEC have made such a mess of things, I wonder how much Warrington residents are looking forward to joining the party?!
I’ve read the consultation document, and the following are the important points to note:
(1) This is an additional layer of government, with its associated running costs;
(2) The existing layers will remain, together with their associated running costs;
(3) You, the Council taxpayer, will pay all of the above;
(4) Carefully note (3) and express your opinions accordingly.
Honestly, I don’t fully understand devolution and its implications to Cheshire and Warrington, however, I will access the link above to review. My biggest concern is whether devolution would incur extra costs for residents, on top of our already exorbitant rates, by way of paying for a Mayor. My rates, Band C are over £2000 2025/2026 year and will get worse, not better.